Jets cornerback Rashard Robinson has been suspended for the first four games of the regular season by the NFL for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Robinson was arrested and charged with drug possession and carelessly driving in Morris County Andrew Luck Jersey , New Jersey, last December. Police accused Robinson of having marijuana-laced candy in his car, which they said smelled like marijuana.

The NFL announced the suspension Wednesday, a day before Jets veteran players are due to report for training camp.

Robinson will be eligible to participate in preseason practices and games. He can return to the team on Oct. 1.

The former LSU star was acquired from San Francisco last October for a fifth-round pick. He had just two tackles in limited action with New York, but made one start against Kansas City on Dec. 3.

”Wow. That was a nice performance,” Maddon said after Baez – who almost was scratched because he didn’t feel well – hit a three-run home run and had five RBIs to highlight the NL Central-leading Cubs’ 11-6 victory over the San Diego Padres on Saturday night. Kyle Schwarber and Ian Happ also went deep.

Baez, voted to start at second base in his first All-Star Game, hit a no-doubt shot to right-center field off Phil Hughes in the ninth inning, and the thousands of Cubs fans at Petco Park chanted ”Javy! Javy! Javy!” as the 25-year-old from Puerto Rico rounded the bases. It was his 19th.

”I like the way he’s going about his business,” Maddon said. ”He’s playing the game right, playing the game hard James Daniels Jersey , playing the game smartly, he’s just playing the game of baseball. I don’t think he has an analytical bone in his body. RBIs are groovy, despite what people say. His baserunning skills, acumen, he’s a baseball player. He’s absolutely fun to watch.”

Baez has 71 RBIs, tied for the NL lead and just four shy of his career-high set last year.

Maddon said he spoke with Baez recently about using the whole field.

”While I’m talking to him about different things, I’m very careful because I don’t want to mess with his vibe. He rotates and he beats to a different soundtrack, man. He’s just different. So when I speak to him, I try to simplify it and not give him a whole lot to think about, but just try to encourage thought on his part.”

Baez, who sounded congested Kemoko Turay Jersey , said he had a headache earlier in the day and his whole body hurt when he hit in the cage pregame. But he took some medicine and played.

”I told them I was going to get better during the game and I feel better,” he said.

Baez went opposite-field on his home run on a pitch from Hughes that just above the top of the strike zone.

”I hit it really good but kind of missed it a little bit and it went straight up. I didn’t think it was going out. But we had men on first and third and either it was going to score a run.”

There’s a good reason why Baez is so hot.

”This year I’ve been consistent with my work, with my routine, being here early,” he said. ”I’m the type of guy that I like to take my time during my routine, so I like to get here early and there are already a few people here. Working is the thing that is getting me here and doing some good this first half.”

Maddon recently likened Baez to one of the Beatles because of his growing star power. The manager thought Baez would look like George Harrison or Ringo Starr if he grew out his hair.

Asked if he’d decided which one, Maddon said: ”Maybe all of them, right?”

Baez and Schwarber will be in Monday’s Home Run Derby in Washington.

”That’s a little taste of what you’ll be getting for the Derby,” Schwarber said of Baez’s homer.

Kyle Hendricks (6-8) won for the first time in five starts, holding San Diego to two runs and five hits in five innings, with three strikeouts and no walks. He allowed Eric Hosmer’s two-run homer in the first Larry Allen Jersey , his 10th.

That lead was gone by the fourth. Happ homered to center field off Luis Perdomo (1-4) leading off the second, his 11th. Schwarber homered to left on a line shot after Happ walked opening the fourth. It was Schwarber’s 18th.

Baez gave the Cubs a 5-2 lead with a two-run double in the fifth that chased Perdomo. Jason Heyward was aboard on a double after the initial call that he was tagged out was overturned on video review.

Hunter Renfroe hit a pinch, two-run homer for the Padres in the sixth, his sixth, to pull the Padres within one.

But the Cubs added on in the eighth on Addison Russell’s two-run single to right and Victor Caratini’s two-run double just inside the right-field line.

Hosmer, San Diego’s $144 million man, has struggled recently.

”I think we’re thrilled to see it, and expect more as the second half unfolds for us,” manager Andy Green said of Hosmer’s homer. ”He’s doing everything right, just hasn’t had any results.”

FRIAR FASHION

Count Cubs manager Joe Maddon as a fan of the Padres’ brown jerseys, which San Diego wears only for Friday night home games. ”I love those. I think they’re the best uniform ever. Awesome Skai Moore Jersey , awesome. That uniform last night, you can’t beat that. They’re the best. I love them,” Maddon said.

The throwback unis are a nod to the mustard-and-mud color scheme of the 1980s. The Padres could go back to the brown, but not before 2020.

UP NEXT

Cubs: LHP Jon Lester (11-2, 2.45) is scheduled to start the series finale, which will cost him his spot on the All-Star active roster. The Cubs have won his last eight starts and are 15-3 in his 18 starts.

Padres: Rookie LHP Eric Lauer (5-5, 4.50) will try to replicate his brilliant performance from Tuesday night, when he fell one out shy of his first complete game in a 4-1 victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He allowed one run and four hits while striking out eight.

The ball cleared the center field wall Roger Staubach Jersey , and the sellout crowd roared. Bryce Harper threw his bat in the air, thrust both index fingers skyward and yelled with delight as a shower of streamers rained upon the crowd of 43,698.

It could have been a scene from a playoff game. That it was merely the All-Star Home Run Derby mattered not to Harper or the Washington Nationals fans, who were thrilled to see their hometown hero deliver the night’s final longball Monday.

In the midst of it all – and in the middle of trying season – Harper grabbed the microphone and said: ”This crowd: Wow! Washington Nationals, baby!”

With an exceptional display of power and clutch hitting, Harper rallied in the final round, connecting on pitches from his father to beat Kyle Schwarber of the Chicago Cubs 19-18.

Harper hit the contest-winning blast in extra time, the reward for hitting two homers at least 440 feet during the 4 minutes of regulation. After he connected with the game winner, the Nationals star immediately went into celebration mode.

”We have some of the best fans in all of baseball, and to be able to that with my family out there, that’s an incredible moment, not only for me but for the organization and the Nationals fans,” Harper said.

”It’s awesome. Hometown,” Scherzer said. ”The crowd is behind him. He found some rhythm, kept it simple and just continued to hit home run after home run.”

Wearing a headband that resembled the District of Columbia flag and displaying a right sleeve with stars and stripes, Harper trailed 18-9 with 1:20 left before rallying. He homered on nine of his last 10 swings before entering extra time.

The six-time All-Star arranged to have his dad, Ron, pitch to him in the annual contest on the eve of the All-Star Game. That made the victory even sweeter.

”I’m only as good as my BP guy,” Harper said with a grin.

Hours before the session, Harper spoke excitedly about having his dad pitch to him in the contest. The 25-year-old said his father ”worked his tail off every single day to provide for me and my family” and ”now being able to have him throw to me in a big league ballpark is the cherry on top.”

Afterward, Ron Harper said of his son: ”He did great. So I’m really proud of him. He’s a great kid. You couldn’t ask for anything better.”

It’s been a tough year for Harper, who’s hitting only .214 for the disappointing Nationals. He won a contest that many sluggers avoid, fearful it might wear them out and throw them off.

He can only hope this helps him get back into the swing.

The 2015 NL MVP beat Freddie Freeman of the Atlanta Braves and Max Muncy of the Dodgers before trumping the fifth-seeded Schwarber, who put the pressure on with a solid outing before Harper stepped to the plate.

”As soon as I got done with that round I told myself that (Harper) had it,” Schwarber said. ”I knew that he had the home crowd behind him.”

Harper, who has 23 home runs this season, advanced to the final with an astonishing spree of longball hitting. He trailed Max Muncy of the Dodgers 12-4 with 2:20 left Trey Burton Jersey , then peeled off six homers in 47 seconds before calling a timeout.

Harper returned to hit three more home runs in 22 seconds, the last of them inside the right-field foul pole.

The semifinal matchup between Schwarber and Philadelphia’s Rhys Hoskins went down to the final swing. After stunning top-seed Jesus Aguilar of Milwaukee in the opening round, the eighth-seeded Hoskins ripped 20 long balls to put the pressure on Schwarber.

Using a late surge, Schwarber pulled one ball after another over the right field wall to squeeze out a 21-20 victory – by far the highest-scoring matchup of the night.

The fans dutifully cheered most home runs during the first round, but they saved their loudest cheers for Harper, the last player to step to the plate.

After Freeman hit 12 home runs over the 4-minute span, Harper unleashed six shots of at least 440 feet and secured the victory with a drive to center long before the clock expired. As the ball cleared the wall, the left-handed hitting Harper walked out of the batter’s box and thrust both arms in the air.

Milwaukee’s Aguilar, the NL home run leader at the break, was eliminated in the opening round by Hoskins 17-12.

Aguilar hit too many balls to straightaway center, where the wall stands over 400 feet from the plate. Hoskins pumped most of his drives into the left-field seats, where it’s 336 feet down the line.

The most thrilling first-round match featured a near buzzer-beater by Houston’s Alex Bregman, who fell to Schwarber 16-15. The difference was the pair of homers that Schwarber hit during 30 seconds of extra time.

Bregman – the lone AL representative – appeared defeated with a minute left, but he mounted a late surge and lost when his final swing produced a drive that landed at the base of the center-field wall.

With a straight face and a shoulder shrug, Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Marrone provided a subtle response to being criticized in Doug Pederson's new book.

In Pederson's book released Tuesday, the Philadelphia Eagles coach ripped Marrone's decision to take a knee at the end of the first half of the AFC championship game. Jacksonville led New England 14-10 with 55 seconds remaining and two timeouts, but Marrone called for Blake Bortles to run out the clock and head to the locker room. According to ESPN Stats and Info, Jacksonville was the first team last season to take a knee with that much time remaining in the first half.

Marrone received several texts about Pederson's book 鈥?"Fearless: How an Underdog Becomes a Champion" 鈥?excerpts of which were released earlier this week.

"I got a couple text messages, saying like, 'Blah, blah blah, blah, blah,'" Marrone said. "And I'm just like, 'Hey, Doug won a Super Bowl. Doug did a great job of coaching. I'm sure there's a long line of people that have the same questions or feelings. It's just what you're going to do."

Then Marrone dropped this nugget: He said he read a book written by Mark Manson during the offseason that ended up on The New York Times Best Seller list. The title? "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a (expletive): A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life."

Marrone never mentioned the title of Manson's book in his response to a question about Pederson's book. But his message seemed clear.

Here's one to bookmark now: The Eagles and Jaguars play Oct. 28 in London, an opportunity for the coaches to discuss their philosophies face to face.

In his book, Pederson said he watched the watched the game and was "screaming at the TV in my office" and thinking "you've got to be kidding me right now. It made me mad because Jacksonville had New England right where they wanted them."

The Patriots overcame a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Jacksonville 24-20 and reach the Super Bowl. Pederson said Jacksonville's cautious approach "fueled me."

"They could have at least tried for a field goal," Pederson wrote. "They took it out of their quarterback's hands, and they didn't give to their big back Leonard Fournette. I thought, 'If they lose this game, this is why.' Sure enough they would go on to lose the game."

Facing a similar situation in the NFC title game against Minnesota, Pederson and the Eagles managed a field goal late in the first half after getting the ball with 29 seconds remaining. Two weeks later in the Super Bowl, Pederson's aggression helped the Eagles claim their first Lombardi Trophy.

And the Tampa Bay Lightning are slumping at the wrong time of the season.

The top two teams in the Eastern Conference slugged it out Thursday night and Boston prevailed T.J. Green Jersey , knocking Tampa Bay out of first place for the first time since October with a 4-2 win on Thursday night.

”This definitely had a playoff feel to it,” said Brand Marchand, whose empty-net goal with 56 seconds left sealed it for the Bruins, who took over first place in the conference with less than two weeks remaining in the regular season.

”Obviously we all know how big it was for the standings and what it meant for both teams. So it was great to see the guys react the way they did and have the game we did.”

Patrice Bergeron had a goal and two assists, Tim Schaller and David Pastrnak scored goals 32 seconds apart in the final minute of the first period and Tuukka Rask made 26 saves for the Bruins, who have 107 points and lead Tampa Bay by a point.

Boston has six games remaining in the regular season to five for Tampa Bay.

For the first time since Oct. 18, a team other than the Lightning leads the Eastern Conference.

It was one of many times in the game that postseason implications were apparent, including a rare fight for Pastrnak in the third period and several more battles before the officials had to separate both sides one final time – after the third-period buzzer.

”There was a ton of passion,” Tampa Bay’s Alex Killorn said. ”There was a lot of hits and a lot of scrums after the whistle. It seems like it could potentially be a playoff matchup. It definitely had a playoff atmosphere tonight.”

J.T. Miller scored a power-play goal for Tampa Bay in the second and Victor Hedman added a goal in the third. Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with 26 saves for the Lightning, who have lost three straight and are 0-3 against the Bruins this season.

”Playing in here is always difficult,” Killorn said. ”The second and third period, I think we did a pretty good job. We created a lot more opportunities for ourselves.”

Killorn had an apparent goal waved off in the third when a teammate was in the crease with Boston leading 2-1. A few minutes later, Torey Krug passed to Bergeron at the side of the net for a goal to put Boston up 3-1 at 11:59 of the third.

The Lightning cut it to 3-2 when Hedman beat Rask through his legs with 6:06 remaining in the third, but Marchand’s empty-netter sealed it and Boston took over the top spot in the division and conference.

”It was a big win for us. Finally we jumped them after a whole season chasing them Art Monk Jersey ,” Pastrnak said.

The Bruins outshot the Lightning 17-6 in the first period and took a 2-0 lead with a pair of goals in the final minute.

Schaller put Boston up 1-0 after stealing the puck from Ryan McDonagh just inside the blue line and started a 2-on-1 break with Tommy Wingels, who got off a shot as Schaller crashed the net and poked in the rebound.

Killorn took an interference penalty with 31 seconds remaining and Pastrnak scored 5 seconds into the penalty, putting the Bruins up 2-0 with 26 seconds left in the period.

The game paused for a few minutes with 8:44 left in the second after Rask took a few shots at Conacher when he was slow to get up after getting tangled with Brandon Carlo in the crease.

Rask landed several punches with his glove before players from both teams jumped in and were eventually separated.

Vasilevskiy skated toward the other end, but was cut off at the blue line by referee Francois St. Laurent, who kept the Tampa Bay goalie from entering the fray. Boston fans roared their approval by shouting ”Tuuuuuuuuk!” throughout the altercation.

Later in the second, it was Pastrnak stepping in after a hit on Bergeron and squaring off with Tampa Bay’s Dan Girardi. Pastrnak said it was his first fight and his inexperience showed when Girardi quickly took him down, but the Bruins appreciated his effort.

NOTES: Krug finished with two assists. The Lightning and Bruins play one more time in the regular season Chase Roullier Jersey , Tuesday night in Tampa Bay. … Boston improved to 7-1-0 in its past eight against Tampa Bay. … Boston D Zdeno Chara, who signed a one-year contract extension with the Bruins on Wednesday, missed his seventh straight game with an upper-body injury. … Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper entered the game with 239 wins, tied with John Tortorella for the most in franchise history. … The Bruins haven’t lost in regulation since Florida shut them out 3-0 on March 15.

UP NEXT

Lightning: At New York Rangers on Friday night.

Bruins: Host Florida on Saturday afternoon.

—

More NHL hockey:

MDS shared earlier this morning a quote from Raiders coach Jon Gruden regarding his awareness that the contract impasse with defensive end Khalil Mack “might be the toughest decision I have to figure out right now.” During the same fan event on Saturday, Gruden vowed to get it figured out.

鈥淸W]e鈥檙e going to find a way to get Khalil Mack back,鈥?Gruden said, via Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle. 鈥淵ou鈥檒l see.鈥?/p>

That’s an intriguing comment for Gruden to make, given that it seems both sides currently are dug in firmly to their respective positions. So either Gruden is suggesting that the Raiders plan to bend http://www.chicagobearsteamonline.com/marcus-cooper-jersey , or he’s predicting that Mack will blink.

Regardless, the indications as of right now are that Mack and the Raiders aren’t close to an agreement, and that Mack won’t be present when training camp opens. We’ll see if Gruden makes good on his commitment to the team’s fans to get that changed.

In his first public comments since he declined at the last minute to accept the Indianapolis Colts‘ head coaching position http://www.dallascowboysteamonline.com/kavon-frazier-jersey , Josh McDaniels denied Friday that he’d made any deal to succeed Bill Belichick as coach of the New England Patriots.

McDaniels listed several reasons for remaining in New England as Belichick’s offensive coordinator – some personal, some football-related. But he said his job is no different than it was before his near-departure for Indianapolis.

”No, I mean my role is the same,” McDaniels said when asked if he’d received any assurances of becoming the Patriots’ next coach. ”Look, I think if you’re here, you have an opportunity to work with and for some of the best people in our game, maybe some of the best people that have ever done those things in our game. So I just feel like it’s a great opportunity to be here in my role.”

That role will continue to be calling plays and working with quarterback Tom Brady.

”Whatever happens in the future’s going to happen La'el Collins Jersey ,” he said. ”I’ll be happy with whatever that is.”

McDaniels and the rest of the Patriots’ assistants spoke to reporters at Gillette Stadium on Friday for the first time since New England’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl on Feb. 4.

The Colts thought they had hired McDaniels two days later, tweeting out a welcome and even scheduling a news conference for the next day. Instead, McDaniels, who was coach of the Denver Broncos from 2009-10, changed his mind and returned to the Patriots for his 10th season as offensive coordinator.

”You know there’s a lot that goes into those things and it can be very complicated,” he said. ”I’ve stated again and again that I definitely want to be a head coach again. At the same time, I love being here.

”This is where my kids are born and raised and we’ve made a pretty special life here and that’s not an easy thing to leave. There’s a lot to consider Jonathan Allen Jersey , and certainly leaving here I don’t take lightly ever. … It was a difficult process and I’m very happy with the decision that we made.”

While McDaniels returns to his old role, linebackers coach Brian Flores’ duties will expand. Although he won’t have the title of defensive coordinator, Flores will call the plays. This isn’t a new situation for Belichick’s staff: Matt Patricia, who left to become coach of the Detroit Lions in January, called plays from 2009-11 before getting the defensive coordinator title in 2012.

The Patriots ranked 29th in yards allowed per game (366) but were fifth in points allowed (18.5) last season.

Flores doesn’t anticipate making a personal stamp on the defense just because he’ll be calling the plays.

”I think there’s a long history of this defense. Bill’s been here for a number of years, so I would say we’re going to continue to play defense like we’ve played for the last 18 seasons since he’s been here,” Flores said. ”My role in that is no different than any other coach on the team. We’re trying to put something together here and do whatever helps us win Charles Clay Jersey , you know. You can call it a personal imprint, but it’s a team imprint. … We’re trying to build to be as good as we can be.”

Notes: The Patriots released OL Tony Garcia on Thursday. Garcia, a third-round pick in the 2017 draft out of Troy, spent last season on the reserve/non-football injury list. … New England also signed 2018 fifth-round draft pick LB Ja’Whaun Bentley, sixth-round draft picks LB Christian Sam and WR Braxton Berrios and seventh-round picks QB Danny Etling, DB Keion Crossen and TE Ryan Izzo. Terms of the contracts were not announced. In addition, the Patriots signed nine rookie free agents.

—

Every three-hour episode of PFT Live ends up in the form of a three-part podcast. The Memorial Day edition was no different.

So here it is Eddie Goldman Jersey , @PFTPMPosse and all others who enjoy the morning show. All three segments from a show that included plenty of questions submitted via Twitter.

Since it’s a holiday, and given that things will likely be slow today, it’ll take the place of #PFTPM. And since Stats ate his pre-cut pancakes at home this morning, it felt like an extended edition of the afternoon podcast.

We’ll be back on Tuesday with a full three hours on NBC Sports Radio, with the final two hours on NBCSN. Chris Simms will be in the building as well, and we’ll continue to help you through an interesting offseason that got even more interesting last week.

The San Francisco 49ers started free agency Wednesday by getting some needed help for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo Chidobe Awuzie Jersey , agreeing to a four-year contract with versatile running back Jerick McKinnon and a five-year deal with interior offensive lineman Weston Richburg just after the start of the new league year.

The two deals fill holes on the roster with McKinnon expected to replace departing starter Carlos Hyde and Richburg able to step in immediately as the starter either at center or guard.

The team also agreed to a three-year deal to keep linebacker Brock Coyle, who started 10 games last season before undergoing offseason shoulder surgery.

General manager John Lynch said McKinnon and Richburg were both high on the team's priority list in free agency and he was glad to be able to lock both of them up as soon as the new league year started.

"We see Weston as one of the top young interior offensive linemen in the NFL," Lynch said. "His athleticism, intelligence and attitude are a perfect fit for our scheme. Jerick has proven to be an extremely versatile football player whose speed, elusiveness and tackle-breaking ability make him a very difficult matchup for defenses. We can't wait to get them on the field with their teammates and coaches later this spring."

McKinnon spent four years in Minnesota, mostly as a backup, after being drafted in the third round in 2014 out of Georgia Southern. He has rushed for 1 Pat McAfee Jersey ,918 yards with an average of 4.0 yards per carry, has 142 catches for 984 yards, and has scored 12 touchdowns.

McKinnon had his most productive season last year, when he ran for a career-high 570 yards while setting personal bests with 51 catches for 421 yards.

McKinnon replaces Carlos Hyde, who is leaving as a free agent for Cleveland. McKinnon has more speed and is a better receiving threat than Hyde and should fit well into coach Kyle Shanahan's offense.

Richburg spent the past four seasons with the New York Giants but played only four games last year because of a concussion. He began his career as a left guard before moving to center in 2015. He played there the past three seasons and is considered one of the top pass-blocking players at the position and has the athleticism to thrive in Shanahan's zone-running scheme.

Coyle had 62 tackles last season in his first year with the 49ers.

"He's a selfless guy that does everything the right way," Shanahan said. "We've always known Brock to be a guy we can count on and it was great to see him play the way he did when given the opportunity."

The 49ers had previously re-signed starting center Daniel Kilgore to a three-year contract last month but Kilgore also has experience at guard and could be asked to move.

It's been a busy offseason already for San Francisco. The Niners signed Garoppolo to a five-year deal last month before he even hit free agency, signed cornerback Richard Sherman after he was cut by Seattle Logan Thomas Jersey , re-signed defensive lineman Cassius Marsh and offensive lineman Garry Gilliam and gave an extension to receiver Marquise Goodwin.

These moves have addressed many of the team's most glaring needs although San Francisco still could be in the market for another cornerback, a pass rusher, help at linebacker and a big receiving target.

After losing their first nine games last year, the 49ers underwent a remarkable turnaround. They went 5-0 after Garoppolo took over as starting quarterback and finished the year with a 6-10 mark and plenty of optimism they hope to carry over into 2018.

In an earlier item regarding whether the Broncos will keep quarterback Paxton Lynch beyond today, it was mentioned that more than 30 quarterbacks became available on Saturday.

Given the importance of the quarterback position to the league, it’s worth taking a look at the full list of names.

Next, the vested veterans, who instantly become free agents: Tyler Bray; Joe Webb; Tom Savage; Landry Jones; Matt Barkley; and Austin Davis. EJ Manuel officially joins that bunch today, given that he was released by the Raiders after the acquisition of A.J. McCarron via trade from the Bills.

That’s 34 quarterbacks, in a league that is still desperate to find 64 who are game ready at any given moment. And that number could go down, or up, throughout the course of the next few days.

For those who don’t get a chance to land with an NFL team Muhammad Wilkerson Jersey , the phone may be ringing very soon, given the presence of the Alliance of American Football. Which will give them both a chance to get paid and a chance to play, giving them the kind of reps they need to fully develop.

Eighteen years after the Raiders made kicker Sebastian Janikowski a surprise first-round draft pick Ibraheim Campbell Jersey , his career in Oakland has come to an end.

The team told Janikowski this week that he won't be brought back when he becomes an unrestricted free agent next month.

"The Raider Nation salutes Sebastian Janikowski as the sun sets on his illustrious career with the Oakland Raiders," owner Mark Davis said in a statement Thursday. "He joined the team as a surprise first-round pick in the 2000 Draft and finishes his time in Oakland as one of the greatest or perhaps the greatest kicker in pro football history. His powerful left leg produced an NFL-record 55 field goals of 50-or-more yards. The motto 'Once a Raider, Always a Raider' has never been more true as his 18-year career makes him the longest-tenured player in Raiders history."

Davis' father, Al, made the stunning decision in 2000 to take Janikowski with the 17th overall pick. The only other kicker taken in the first round since the start of the common draft era in 1967 was Steve Little, who went 15th to the Cardinals in 1978.

Janikowski's successful career made him the Raiders all-time leader in games played (268) and points scored (1,799). His 55 field goals from at least 50 yards are the most in NFL history. The only other player from the 2000 draft still on his original team is Tom Brady, who was picked 199th by New England.

Janikowski, who turns 40 on March 2, missed all of last season with a back injury. His agent, Paul Healy, said in an email that Janikowski is too young to retire.

Janikowski said last spring that he hoped to still be with the Raiders when the team moved to Las Vegas in 2020. But that didn't happen after the back injury sidelined him before the start of last season and Giorgio Tavecchio took over as kicker.

There was some thought that new coach Jon Gruden might give Janikowski another chance since he was Oakland's coach when Janikowski was drafted and for his first two seasons. Janikowski is one of five players who were on NFL rosters last season who have played at least one game for Gruden, joining punter Shane Lechler, kicker Matt Bryant http://www.dallascowboysteamonline.com/leighton-vander-esch-jersey , cornerback Aqib Talib and Raiders left tackle Donald Penn.

Janikowski's departure leaves long snapper Jon Condo as the only player on the Raiders with the team before Al Davis died in October 2011. Condo is eligible to be an unrestricted free agent next month and his long-term status with the franchise is unknown.

Former defenseman Mike Weber is all too familiar with the Sabres‘ lean years while spending a majority of his eight NHL seasons in Buffalo.

There were high-priced free agents who failed to pan out and one draft-pick bust after another. Weber made the playoffs just twice, with Buffalo eliminated in the first round both times.

And then there was the so-called ”tank season” in 2014-15, when Sabres fans openly rooted for the team to finish last for the right to draft either now-Oilers captain, Connor McDavid, or Buffalo’s eventual pick, Jack Eichel.

As it happens, Weber also enjoyed a glimpse into what could well be the Sabres’ more promising future following an eight-week stint with Frolunda, Sweden, last fall. Weber had an opportunity to play alongside defenseman Rasmus Dahlin , the highly touted 18-year-old projected to be selected by Buffalo with the No. 1 pick in the NHL draft on Friday night.

Perhaps, Weber said, things might finally be looking up in Buffalo.

”I really, truly believe you guys are going to be getting a once-in-a-lifetime kind of talent,” said Weber Jack Mewhort Jersey , now an assistant coach with Windsor of the Ontario Hockey League.

”This first overall pick puts a stamp on it, put whatever happened in the past in the past,” he added. ”Hopefully, it’s something you guys can look back on at the suffering and rebuilding and tanking and all of this stuff where you can sit there and kind of laugh about it.”

Though ”suffering” might be overly dramatic, it resonates in Buffalo because that’s the word former general manager Darcy Regier repeated numerous times during an end-of-season news conference in April 2013 where he braced fans for a top-to-bottom roster overhaul.

Five years, two GMs, four coaches and three last-place finishes later, the Sabres remain stagnant while in the midst of a franchise-worst seven-year playoff drought.

The team has not topped 35 wins in each of the past five years. And forward Ryan O’Reilly closed last season by suggesting a losing culture has crept into the locker room.

Dahlin has the potential of injecting hope in Buffalo with his exceptional skating and play-making abilities. Weber compares Dahlin’s speed to that of Senators captain Erik Karlsson, and shiftiness to former Red Wings star forward Pavel Datsyuk.

”I still bleed blue and gold,” Weber said, referring to Sabres colors. ”And the possibility of him being a cornerstone going forward and helping the organization and the city win a championship is pretty special.”

Hall of Fame coach Scotty Bowman, who maintains a home in suburban Buffalo, can sense the buzz Dahlin has generated.

”Buffalo needs a boost, and the fans have been waiting a long time for it Charles Mann Jersey ,” Bowman said. ”People I know that have had tickets for a long time are excited.”

The Sabres have been in freefall since losing Game 7 of the 2007 Eastern Conference finals to eventual champion Carolina. Some of Buffalo’s bleakest moments:

BLACK SUNDAY

That’s what Sabres fans refer to July 1, 2007, when Buffalo lost co-captains Chris Drury and Daniel Briere in free agency. Days later, rather than losing yet another star, the Sabres matched the Oilers’ qualifying offer to Thomas Vanek by re-signing the forward to a seven-year, $50 million contract. Buffalo has not won a playoff series since.

MONEY FOR NOTHING

In 2011, the Sabres made splashes by acquiring defenseman Robyn Regehr in a trade with Calgary, and signing defenseman Christian Ehrhoff to a 10-year, $40 million contract and forward Ville Leino to a six-year, $27 million deal. Regehr played just 105 games in Buffalo before being traded to Los Angeles. Leino and Ehrhoff played three seasons before the Sabres bought out their contacts.

TRADE WINDS

Former GM Tim Murray’s most significant trade in his rebuilding plan came on Feb. 11, 2015. He dealt defenseman Tyler Myers, forwards Drew Stafford, Joel Armia and Brendan Lemieux and a first-round pick to Winnipeg to acquire forward Evander Kane, defenseman Zach Bogosian and prospect goalie Jason Kasdorf. Kane is now in San Jose. Kasdorf played just one game in Buffalo. Bogosian has combined to miss 108 games due to an assortment of injuries over the past three seasons.

POOR DRAFTS

Of the 15 players selected by Buffalo in the 2010 and `11 drafts http://www.dallascowboysteamonline.com/ezekiel-elliott-jersey , only four made the NHL and combined to play 144 career games for Buffalo. Of the 23 players Buffalo drafted from 2005-’07, only nine played in the NHL and none topped 400 games.

BAD BREAKS

Aside from losing the NHL draft lottery after finishing last in both 2014 and `15, the Sabres lost out to Toronto in the Mike Babcock coaching sweepstakes in May 2015. The Sabres thought they were closing in on a deal before Babcock announced he was going to take an extra day to reconsider. Babcock signed with Toronto and the Sabres hired Dan Bylsma, who was fired after two seasons.

FRANCHISE LOWS

In finishing last in 2013-14, Buffalo scored 150 goals, the fewest in the NHL’s post-expansion era. The following season, the Sabres scored 153 goals and were shut out a franchise-worst 14 times. This past year, the Sabres won 11 home games, matching their fewest in any season.

The Stanley Cup Final run of the expansion Golden Knights contributed to what is expected to be a healthy increase for the salary cap, giving NHL teams more freedom to make deals. With elite center John Tavares, top defenseman John Carlson and a strong group of free agents available soon, the ceiling for player spending will rise to between $78 and $82 million from $75 million.

”The higher the better,” said Brian MacLellan, whose Washington Capitals won the Stanley Cup. ”It makes it a lot more fun.”

Ottawa captain Erik Karlsson is the star who will go to the highest bidder if the Senators are willing to trade the Norris Trophy-winning defenseman with one year remaining on his contract. GM Pierre Dorion seemed to be in a tough spot after it was revealed last week that Karlsson’s wife had filed an order of protection against Hoffman’s girlfriend, Monika Caryk, alleging harassment and bullying. He solved that issue by acquiring Mikkel Boedker from the San Jose Sharks for Hoffman in the first major trade of the offseason.

More immediate decisions await the Islanders and Capitals. New York could make a move to re-sign Tavares before he can begin speaking with other teams on Monday, and recently hired president of hockey operations Lou Lamoriello has to hire a new coach.

The Islanders might’ve gotten a fortunate bounce when Barry Trotz resigned from his job with Washington less than two weeks after lifting the Cup. Re-signing Tavares and hiring a replacement for fired coach Doug Weight go hand-in-hand.

If it doesn’t work out and Tavares hits the open market, a contract with an annual salary approaching Connor McDavid’s $12.5 million isn’t out of the question. Nashville GM David Poile said cap situations put five or six teams in position for top-end free agents – and knock about half the league out of the running.

”We all have different commitments already of contracts,” Poile said. ”Some teams have a lot of room. Some teams don’t have very much room.”

Big-revenue teams with money to spend include the retooling New York Rangers and the rising Toronto Maple Leafs. The Rangers are among several teams linked to Kovalchuk, the 35-year-old winger who’s looking to return to the NHL after five seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League.

Former Los Angeles Kings defenseman Slava Voynov, who won an Olympic gold medal with Kovalchuk, is back in the U.S. and could be on the way to returning. Voynov was convicted of domestic abuse and is suspended indefinitely by the NHL, which makes it unclear how a team will pave the way for him to play.

”Right now he’s a suspended player, and until anything changes there, I don’t think we’re in a position to comment any further,” Kings GM Rob Blake said. ”A lot of this has to take place between him, his agent and the National Hockey League.”

Dozens of current free agents don’t know where they’ll be playing next season. Beyond Tavares, Carlson is the most in-demand pending free agent after leading all defensemen in regular-season and playoff points.

Carlson plans to have his day with the Stanley Cup in Washington, but because of the uncertainty of the offseason, there’s no guarantee he’ll be there this fall.

”We’ll see what happens Cheap Stacy McGee Jersey ,” Carlson said. ”I love it here and all that, I want to stay here, but there’s more to it than that.”

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After spending his first 10 NFL seasons in Green Bay with the same quarterback and head coach, Jordy Nelson acknowledged it took a little time to adjust to his new environment with the Oakland Raiders.

Nelson got over that fairly quickly and has done his best to fit in and adjust right away, becoming a leader in the receiver room and a trusted target for quarterback Derek Carr.

"He's been a playmaker on the field," coach Jon Gruden said Monday. "He's been a consistent, reliable target at a couple positions. He's been a real good influence behind the scenes. We've been really, really happy with his addition to this team."

Nelson gets the chance to reunite with Aaron Rodgers, coach Mike McCarthy and the rest of his former Packers teammates when Green Bay visits the Raiders on Friday night in an exhibition game.

"Those are the guys you miss that you see day-to-day, that you don't get to talk to as much as you're used to," Nelson said. "It'll be fun to see them. It's kind of enjoyable as a preseason game so we can have some fun and get in and get out."

The 33-year-old Nelson struggled last season with 53 catches for 482 yards and six TDs, recording a career-low 9.1 yards per reception as Rodgers missed more than half the year with injuries. Nelson had 25 catches for 290 yards and all six of his TDs in five games before Rodgers broke his collarbone last season.

Those numbers plummeted once Brett Hundley took over and the Packers released Nelson in March. He signed a two-year deal with the Raiders, who believe he still has burst left in his game.

Carr heard plenty about Nelson from his former college teammate at Fresno State, Davante Adams, who played the past four seasons with Nelson in Green Bay. Carr said the only thing that has surprised him about Nelson is that he still has the speed of a much younger player.

"Everything that you hear about him is what you get Morgan Moses Jersey ," Carr said. "He helps the receiver room raise their level, whether you're the second guy, third guy or you're just trying to make the team, he raises the level for others. It's not only with the way that he practices and works out and the way he takes care of his body and those things, but the way he goes after it mentally. He wants to think like the quarterback. If we throw a ball, we're always communicating. We'll say, 'Hey, if they play it this way, I like it like this.' Just the way he communicates, it rubs off on those young guys, too."

Nelson has plenty of experience. He had four 1,000-yard seasons in Green Bay, including 1,519 yards on 98 catches in 2014. In 136 career games, he has 550 catches for 7 Chester Rogers Jersey ,848 yards and 69 TDs.

Nelson made the Pro Bowl in 2014 and won AP Comeback Player of the Year in 2016 when he led the league with 14 touchdown catches a year after missing the entire season with a right knee injury.

Once he got comfortable enough with the new offense in Oakland, Nelson has been able to share some of what he learned with younger receivers in Oakland.

"Once I started feeling that out, I've been able to have more conversations with guys and really get into the fine details of maybe some suggestions or ways to help them create more separation, which is what we're all trying to get at the end of the day," he said.

While Nelson and Amari Cooper are entrenched as starters in Oakland, Gruden is still searching for someone to emerge as the third receiver. Martavis Bryant has been in and out of practice and Seth Roberts missed close to two weeks with an injury.

Roberts returned to practice Monday but his time away has allowed Ryan Switzer and Griff Whalen to get more time in the slot in practice with Carr.

"We're all sitting there excited to see what happens," Carr said. "They're all, I think, healthy. We'll see. I think they're all mentally ready, physically ready. Hopefully come game time, we can sit there and we can evaluate that spot."

The Atlanta Falcons' offense went to great lengths during the offseason to improve in the red zone.

So much for that after Week 1.

The Falcons were held to 12 points in last week's loss Kenny Clark Jersey , scoring just one touchdown in five trips inside the Philadelphia 20-yard line. They came away with no points three times and settled for a short field goal on another.

"It kind of goes without saying that we've put a good bit of work into there and we're not going to assess where we're at on one performance, but that part of our game needs to improve, and it certainly will," coach Dan Quinn said Monday. "We just know we have work to do in that spot."

Atlanta (0-1) is unlikely to catch much of a break this weekend when Carolina (1-0) visits Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The Panthers' defense kept Dallas out of the red zone until midway through the fourth quarter when the Cowboys scored their lone touchdown. Carolina hit quarterback Dak Prescott 10 times and sacked him six times.

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was sacked four times and hit 13 by the Eagles. Two sacks came on the 12 snaps Atlanta took in the last two minutes as Ryan drove the offense 70 yards and ended the game with a short incompletion to star receiver Julio Jones.

Quinn was just as disappointed in the game's opening drive. The offense looked dynamic on its first seven plays, driving to the 1 on three long catches by Jones and two strong runs by Devonta Freeman, but the offense quickly stalled.

From that point on, Freeman ran just four times for 11 yards, and Tevin Colman had nine rushes for 19. Quinn stopped short of criticizing offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian's play-calling before adding that Atlanta must do a better job of balancing its attack to blend in more runs.

It will be tough against Carolina, which ranked No. 3 against the run last year. Philadelphia ranked No. 1.

"When you play good fronts, it's hard to get the run game going, but you have to find ways to do it because eventually some of those runs break Kemoko Turay Jersey ," Quinn said.

"Sometimes the zero run goes for 10. You've got to keep digging and taking your shots at it. It's a big part of what we do. We've got incredibly high standards for our run and how we do it and the way we feature the backs."

The offensive line has to do its part and stay on blocks to create some creases to exploit. Freeman and Coleman need to be more active in the screen passing game, too.

"We've just got to be effective early," left guard Andy Levitre said. "They've got a good front, so it's staying on guys and giving backs a chance to hit it and make some plays. Those guys are well capable of doing that."

NOTES: LB Deion Jones was held out of practice with a sore foot. Quinn said it was too early to tell if Jones will miss more time this week. ... The team signed LB Corey Nelson, S Keith Tandy and DE Steven Means as reserves. ... WR Christian Blake was signed to the practice squad. ... CB Deante Burton and long snapper Jeff Overbaugh were waived.

Alex Smith looked like his old self. So did Adrian Peterson.

When the 34-year-old Smith wasn't carving up the Arizona defense, the 33-year-old Peterson was running through it.

The result was a 24-6 Washington victory on Sunday, coach Jay Gruden's first win in a season opener in five tries, and it was even more dominant than the final score would indicate.

"You guys put that monkey there. You guys kept reminding me about the dang 0-4 start," Gruden said. "It counts as one game. I told our team we are 1-0 and now it is time we have to put back-to-back games together."

Smith and Peterson were playing their first game as Redskins and the two veterans made an impact from the start.

"I thought the way we came out moving the ball, finishing drives in the red zone was big," Smith said. "It certainly started with running the football. I thought our O-line was dominant."

Smith Chris Jones Jersey , acquired from Kansas City in the offseason to replace Kirk Cousins, completed 21 of 30 passes without an interception and had TD throws of 13 yards to Chris Thompson and 4 yards to Jordan Reed. Peterson rushed for 96 yards on 26 carries, including a 1-yard touchdown ru n.

"The sky is the limit (for this offense)," Peterson said. "Alex is doing a great job running this offense and for the past couple of weeks I have seen these receivers go out in practice and grind. The offensive line speaks for itself and then you add C.T. (Chris Thompson) in there. That young guy got me going today."

Peterson, who played for Arizona a year ago and signed with Washington as a free agent on Aug. 20, finished his day with a 52-yard reception, but fumbled at the end of the play.

The Redskins outgained the Cardinals 429-213 and had 30 first downs to Arizona's 14 and it was even more one-sided before the Cardinals showed some life late in the game. Washington rushed for 182 yards to Arizona's 68.

"The nemesis right now is just stopping the run," Wilks said. "...Tackling was an issue."

Arizona avoided a shutout when David Johnson ran 2 yards for a touchdown with 5:47 to play.

Johnson, who signed a three-year, $39 million contract extension with Arizona on Saturday night with $30 million guaranteed, carried nine times for 37 yards and caught five passes for 30 yards.

"I'm not even thinking about the contract Chidobe Awuzie Jersey ," he said. "I'm thinking about the loss and what I did wrong, the mental errors, dropped catches and how bad I played."

Sam Bradford, in his debut as Cardinals quarterback, was 20 of 34 for 153 yards and was intercepted once.

The Redskins manhandled the Arizona defense in a dominant first half to lead 21-0 at the break. And the Arizona team under the new coaching regime was booed roundly as it left the field.

The statistics were stunningly one-sided through the first two quarters: 261 yards for the Redskins to 36 yards for the Cardinals. Smith completed 17 of 20 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns. Bradford, meanwhile, was 3 of 7 for 11 yards. Washington had the ball for 22 minutes, 57 seconds to the Cardinals' 7:03.

"We had three possessions in the first half and we're down 21-0 at halftime," Bradford said. "It's tough on the defense, it's tough on the offense."

Arizona got two first downs on its first possession and went three-and-out the only other two times it had the ball in the first half.

Washington, meanwhile Michael Irvin Jersey , had touchdown drives of 80, 73 and 92 yards behind a powerful rushing game and the efficient management of Smith.

The first scoring drive went 80 yards in 11 plays, Smith went 13 yards to Thompson on the first play of the second quarter for the score.

After Arizona's first three-and-out, Washington used up 9:06 in a 15-play, 73-yard drive, Peterson plowing in from the 1-yard line to make it 14-0.

The Cardinals went nowhere again and the Redskins took advantage of their last chance of the half.

Smith completed 7 of 7 passes for 77 yards in a 10-play, 92-yard drive. Smith threw 4 yards to Reed for the touchdown and it was 21-0 with 8 seconds left in the half.

INJURIES

Three Washington players left the game with injuries.

Rookie wide receiver Cam Sims injured an ankle in the first quarter and was carted off the field. He did not return. Washington wide receiver Trey Quinn left in the third quarter, also with an ankle injury, and didn't return. Redskins safety Troy Apke left with a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter.

Arizona right tackle Andre Smith left in the fourth quarter with an elbow injury.

It’s been a week full of injuries Bobby Massie Jersey , as more and more pitchers hit the disabled list, making arms a premium once again for Fantasy owners.

He’s not a pitcher, but Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez headlines the list of injured players, as the catcher will miss 3-4 weeks for the second straight season.

There are names like John Hicks, Austin Romine, Tucker Barnhart and Tom Murphy who deserve to be owned in Sanchez’ absence. Now, let’s look at some pitchers to help hold down your rotation.

PLAYERS TO PICK UP

ZACH EFLIN, SP, Philadelphia Phillies (42 percent owned in Yahoo) – First it was Nick Pivetta, now it’s Zach Eflin. The Phillies are having pitchers who were no more than a healthy arm last season turn into legit standouts. Eflin increased his velocity this year, and he’s adding more swings and misses than a season ago. Like Pivetta, it’s smart to grab him before everyone else in your league takes notice.

ZACK WHEELER, SP, New York Mets (12 percent) – Like Jacob deGrom earlier this season, the Mets struggle to win games for Wheeler. That’s OK, though, as he is holding his own as of late with a reasonable ERA and a good strikeout rate. He won’t live up to the prospect hype that he had when he was moving through the system, but he can be a useful pitcher for your Fantasy roster.

SHANE BIEBER, SP, Cleveland Indians (57 percent) – Bieber was thought to be a guy who wouldn’t register big strikeout numbers Jack Mewhort Jersey , but would help Fantasy owners out in ERA, WHIP and Wins. Well, in a small sample, he’s averaging more than a strikeout per inning. Add him wherever he’s available.

ADALBERTO MONDESI, OF, Kansas City Royals (1 percent) – Speed is hard to find. Kevin Kiermaier was a suggested pickup last week as a multi-category contributor, but Mondesi is a deep-league add if you’re desperate for speed.

TWO-START PITCHERS TO STREAM

BRENT SUTER, SP, Milwaukee Brewers (39 percent) – It’s not a great week for two-start pitchers, and Suter underachieved in a juicy matchup against the Royals on Wednesday. He’s worth running out again, though, as he gets the Twins and the Braves in a two-start matchup.

KYLE GIBSON, SP, Minnesota Twins (34 percent) – Speaking of failing to capitalize, Gibson struggled against the White Sox on Wednesday. Forget that start, though, as he’s been a quality start machine this year. He’ll face a less-than-favorable team in the Brewers in his first start, but he’ll wrap the week up against Baltimore, who struggled mightily against right-handed pitching.

NATHAN EOVALDI, SP Eddie Jackson Jersey , Tampa Bay Rays (7 percent) – Eovaldi impressed this week against the Nationals, allowing just one hit over six innings. He has a date with the Marlins and Mets next week; both of which are terrific matchups.

HITTERS TO STREAM

SCOTT SCHEBLER, OF, Cincinnati Reds (22 percent) – Jesse Winker is starting to come around for the Reds, but Schebler has been the 22nd-best outfielder in Yahoo leagues over the past 30 games as the leadoff hitter for the Reds.

LOGAN MORRISON, 1B, Minnesota Twins (13 percent) – The Twins have seven games next week in Milwaukee and against the Orioles‘ bad pitching staff. There’s only one lefty on the slate, which means Morrison is a sneaky streamer to get in your lineup.

ALEN HANSON, 2B/OF, San Francisco Giants (5 percent) – Hanson has been playing regularly for the Giants, and he’s a contributor across multiple categories, with his standout category being batting average. With three games in Colorado and four more against the all-of-the-sudden questionable St. Louis rotation, Hanson could fill the stat sheets for Fantasy owners.

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This column was provided to The Associated Press by the Fantasy Sports Network,

Fantasy busts aren't necessarily terrible players by any standard measure. They're just disappointing at the end of the season compared with what owners expected at the beginning of it.

It's all about expectations.

Here are the most overdrafted, biggest potential busts of the upcoming fantasy football season with their average draft positions included in point-per-reception leagues.

DEVONTA FREEMAN, RB Atlanta Falcons

ADP: 17 overall 鈥?RB11

Freeman's rushing attempts, receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns have all declined in three consecutive seasons, while Tevin Coleman's rushing attempts and rushing yards have all increased over that same period.

Freeman is being drafted as a top 20 RB even though he could fail to produce 1,000 yards from scrimmage or 10 touchdowns. Consistent decline in both production and opportunity is how a top player becomes a bust.

Adams never had a 1,000 yard or 80-reception season and he has only six 100-plus yard receiving games in his career. Adams lives and dies by the touchdown in a fantasy sport that relies on touches and yards.

Adams must have a double-digit touchdown season to avoid being a bust, because the yards and receptions aren't going to save him.

TYREEK HILL, WR Kansas City Chiefs

ADP: 28, WR10

In 2017, Hill caught 53 of his 82 receptions, 998 of 1,198 receiving yards and five of his seven touchdowns on the Chiefs side of the 50-yard line, while being targeted only once in the red zone. He had eight plays of 40 yards or more and 25 plays of 20 yards or more.

Travis Kelce is the Chiefs' top passing target while Kareem Hunt will get the most touches. A first-year starting quarterback (Patrick Mahomes), the addition of Sammy Watkins and the history make it difficult for Hill.

Smith-Schuster was the 20th highest scoring fantasy wide receiver in PPR leagues in spite of only 80 targets and 58 receptions. No other WR ranked in the top 30 had fewer targets.

Smith-Schuster is being drafted as a WR2 in spite of big concerns about his touches, targets and efficiency.

DERRICK HENRY, RB Tennessee Titans

ADP: 35, RB17

Henry never had 200 rushing attempts or rushed for 800 yards in a season and his career high in receptions is 13. Henry is a two-down running back whose touches will be challenged by a better, more versatile alternative (Dion Lewis). The only way Henry isn't a bust is if he becomes a red zone monster and finishes 2018 with 13-15 touchdowns.

EVAN ENGRAM, TE New York Giants

ADP: 64, TE6

The Giants want to get back to running the football and they backed it up with the offseason addition of offensive lineman Nate Solder and the drafting of star Penn State running back Saquon Barkley.

They have reduced Eli Manning's attempts and he has completed fewer passes in three straight seasons. Engram also led the team with 11 drops in 2017.

The reality of Garoppolo in San Francisco has been a bit less pristine than his fantasy narrative.

He's being drafted as a QB1 in spite of having only two 300-plus yard passing games and throwing five interceptions to only seven touchdowns in 2017. Prior to last year, he completed only 67 passes in 94 attempts. A lack of weapons and track record makes Garoppolo a potential bust at that draft price.

BRANDIN COOKS, WR Los Angeles Rams

ADP: 42, WR17

Leaving Drew Brees and Tom Brady for Jared Goff along with competition for touches and targets from all-world running back Todd Gurley, Cooper Kupp and a skill set comparable to a player like Robert Woods across the formation makes Cooks a potential bust.

It's easy to see a season that looks a lot like 55-65 receptions, 850-900 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Cooks needs more than the 65 receptions he had in 2017 to avoid being a bust in 2018.

DISHONORABLE MENTIONS

鈥?JOSH GORDON, WR Cleveland Browns (ADP: 49, WR22): He has more weapons to compete with for targets and still no established quarterback. A lot of hype.

鈥?JAY AJAYI, RB Philadelphia Eagles (ADP: 40, RB20): A lot of competition for touches, especially on third down, for an RB2 pick that scored two touchdowns in 2017.

鈥?SAMMY WATKINS, WR Kansas City Chiefs (ADP: 72, WR29): A player that has struggled to stay on the field who is the fourth option for a first-year starting quarterback.

Talk about making the most of opportunities. Look at what New Jersey Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid has done the last 10 weeks.

Not only did he take over in late January after starter Cory Schneider was injured Daryl Johnston Jersey , he carried the Devils over the final two-plus months and heads into their first playoffs since 2012 as the No. 1 goaltender.

Coach John Hynes on Tuesday refused to name his starting goaltender for Thursday night’s opener of the best-of-7 series with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

There is, however, little doubt – Kinkaid will be starting his first postseason game. The 28-year-old undrafted free agent posted a 19-6-1 record after Schneider went down with hip and groin injuries. He had a 10-1-1 run in the 12 games that led to the Devils clinching a playoff berth Thursday.

From Feb 13 to Apr. 5, Kinkaid had a 16-3-1 mark, a 2.32 goals-against average and .929 save percentage. The win total was the most by an NHL goalie in the span.

”He is a gamer,” veteran center Brian Boyle said. ”He competes. He never gives up on plays, especially down the stretch he has given us a real jolt and lifted us up. He’s been a huge part of our team.”

Kinkaid is never too high, never too low. He lets in a goal Travis Frederick Jersey , shrugs it off and gets ready for the next play.

It’s not like when Marty Brodeur played and there were chants of ”Mar-tee, Mar-tee” after every big save. Or when Schneider was playing well and chants of ”CORE-EE” filled the Prudential Center. Kinkaid seems to go unnoticed.

The 6-foot-3 goalie acknowledges that a few more fans recognize him lately, and he has been getting more texts.

”I take it with a grain of salt,” he said. ”There is still a lot of work to do.”

Kinkaid said his approach to the postseason won’t change.

”You can’t take this any different from what we did at the end of the season when we had to win pretty much all our games to get in,” said Kinkaid, who got a rare night off in the regular-season finale Saturday. ”It’s no different here.”

Devils captain Andy Greene said the toughest job for a backup – which Kinkaid handled for the past three seasons – is showing what you can do. It’s especially hard when the backup plays in the second game of a back-to-back and his team is tired.

”This time, he knew going in he was going to have some time,” Greene said. ”He worked really hard in practice and you can see just how much more confident he is. Like I said 30 times. He is very square to the puck Chase Daniel Jersey , confident, and when you are feeling that way, the puck seems to find you. He has been a rock back there and we are just feeding off him.”

Center Travis Zajac, who along with Greene are the only leftovers from the Devils’ team that played in the Stanley Cup Finals, said this is the best he has seen Kinkaid play.

”He has always made big plays, but now he is doing it more consistently,” Zajac said. ”He has given us a chance to win every night. I think that’s the main thing. You just see that consistency in his game, where he is not letting any weak goals in. He is confident now http://www.dallascowboysteamonline.com/jamize-olawale-jersey , and that’s a big part of it, too.”

Hynes said Kinkaid has gotten better along the way.

”That’s preparation, his mental focus, his ability to get to a high level, night in and night out,” Hynes said. ”That’s an improvement for him to go from a guy who didn’t play every night to that and perform real well. That has allowed him to take advantage of his opportunity.”

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More NHL hockey: 锟斤拷 Geno Smith has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Chargers.

The team announced the agreement with the quarterback Sunday night. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Smith will likely join former Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones in backing up Phillip Rivers.

Smith played four seasons with the New York Jets after going 39th overall in the 2013 draft, then spent last season with the New York Giants. Smith started one game for the Giants, throwing for 212 yards and a TD in a 24-17 loss against Oakland.

Smith has appeared in 35 games Josh Jones Jersey , including 31 starts, and thrown for 6,174 yards with 29 touchdowns. He’s also rushed for 659 yards and seven TDs.